The Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced on 16/8 that the man, a resident of Thuong Tin district, began experiencing symptoms on 8/8, including headaches, nausea, vomiting, and fever. He tested positive for streptococcus suis through a cerebrospinal fluid test at Bach Mai Hospital. His condition is now stable thanks to prompt treatment.

This brings Hanoi's total streptococcus suis cases to 8 since the beginning of the year, an increase compared to last year. One fatality, a 53-year-old man, experienced a high fever, headache, and fatigue starting on 15/7. Five days later, he was admitted to Dan Phuong Hospital, then transferred to Bach Mai Hospital before being taken home by his family, where he passed away.

The CDC notes that most patients work in pig slaughtering or have contact with pigs. One case involved a 38-year-old man who cut his hand while preparing pork crackling and fell ill a few days later. A 73-year-old woman who sells pig intestines was also infected.

Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it's transmitted from animals to humans. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Most cases are linked to slaughtering, consuming raw pig blood pudding (tiet canh), or undercooked pork. Some individuals who haven't consumed tiet canh or slaughtered pigs have contracted the disease from eating undercooked pork from infected animals or through skin abrasions during food preparation.

Severe cases can rapidly progress to septic shock, circulatory collapse, hypotension, severe coagulopathy, purpura fulminans, embolism, multiple organ failure, coma, and death. Last week, 6 people in Hung Yen province were hospitalized in critical condition, two of whom later died, after consuming pig intestine soup (pho long) and tiet canh at a local restaurant. The cause was determined to be streptococcus suis.

There is currently no vaccine against streptococcus suis for humans. Health authorities recommend consuming only thoroughly cooked pork and avoiding raw pig blood pudding and other undercooked dishes. When handling raw pork, gloves should be worn to minimize the risk of infection, especially if there are cuts or abrasions on the skin. Individuals experiencing symptoms like high fever, headache, or nausea should seek immediate medical attention.

Le Nga